Vistive™ Low-Linolenic Soybean Growers Report Strong Yields in 2007

Dec 10, 2007

Farmers who harvested Vistive™ low-linolenic soybeans this season reported strong yields comparable to their commodity soybeans. They added that the average premium of 50 cents to 60 cents per bushel provided a healthy bonus to their bottom line.

Vistive will be offered in 31 different seed brands for 2008, enabling growers to choose from a broad selection of even better-performing products – 179 different Vistive products in all. Next season, Vistive growers can earn buyers' call premiums starting at 60 cents per bushel.

"Our Vistive low-linolenic beans yielded 54 bushels to the acre, with our best beans yielding 56 this year, so there wasn't any yield difference to me," said Danville, Indiana farmer, Mike Moore. "It seems like there will be a growing market for low-lin oil, and if the American soybean farmer can supply it – there are other oils out there that are being imported – I think we will do ourselves a great favor."

More than 100 food companies, including KFC and Kellogg's, are now using Vistive low-lin oil to reduce or eliminate trans fats from their products. In addition, numerous cities, counties and states have either enacted or are considering bans on trans fats in school cafeterias and restaurants.

Don Mackinson, who farms in Pontiac, Illinois, said he also had excellent performance from his Vistive low-lin soybeans this season. "They averaged nearly 60 bushels an acre across the scale," said Mackinson, who planted 174 Vistive acres. "I'm always interested in trying new products, and Vistive low-lin beans represent a good opportunity, especially considering the premium. Because of the trans fat issue, we have to produce what the consumer wants, and Vistive will keep our market going."

"I grew 2.2-maturity Vistive soybeans this season, which yielded as well as anything I grew this year, and the low-linolenic oil content was also excellent," reported Bob Deo, of Maxwell, Iowa. "It looks like there will be a lot of demand for this product."

Vistive low-linolenic soybeans typically contain less than 3 percent linolenic acid as an oil component compared with 8 percent for commodity soybeans. This low-linolenic alternative enables food processors to use Vistive oil to reduce or eliminate the need for hydrogenation, which creates trans fats in processed soybean oil.

"There’s so much added value compared with traditional soybeans," said John Mutchler, who planted 267 Vistive acres on his farm in Bricelyn, Minnesota. "Our Vistive soybeans this year averaged 58 bushels per acre, with some spots hitting 65 bushels. With the 60-cent-per-bushel premium, that’s $36 per acre extra income for us."

“I’ve been very pleased with my Vistive soybeans in 2007," said Heath Conklin, who farms in Marysville, Ohio. "They yielded between 54 and 66 bushels per acre, and the 60-cent premium is a very good incentive."

"Our Vistive low-linolenic beans yielded 54 bushels to the acre, with our best beans yielding 56 this year, so there wasn't any yield difference to me," said Danville, Indiana farmer, Mike Moore. "It seems like there will be a growing market for low-lin oil, and if the American soybean farmer can supply it – there are other oils out there that are being imported – I think we will do ourselves a great favor."

Tom Chadwick, who farms in Laingsburg, Michigan, said his 360 acres of Vistive soybeans yielded more than 50 bushels per acre, which was right in line with the commodity soybean yields of neighboring farms. "I was very happy and will be doubling my Vistive acreage next season," he said. "It's pretty exciting to be back into soybeans for this farming operation."

For additional information, growers can visit www.vistive.com.

Individual results may vary, and performance may vary from location to location and from year to year. This result may not be an indicator of results you may obtain as local growing, soil and weather conditions may vary. Growers should evaluate data from multiple locations and years whenever possible.